Continuous bar mill



Dec. 14, 1943. R. G. LE TO U-RNEIAU 2,3 1.

CONTINUOUS BAR MILL Filed July 11. 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORQ R. G LeYburncaw A TTORNEYE Dec. 14, 1943.

R. G. LE TOURN EAU CONTINUOUS BAR MILL Filed- July 11 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 so I 15 7 INVENTOR.

R. G LeYburnqaw ATTORNEY/5 1943- R. G. LE TOURNEAU 2,336,621

CONTINUOUS BAR MILL Filed July 11, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet s v .N i

IIVVENTOR.

RG1 Le'Tburneaw A TTORNEYJ? Patented Dec. 14, 1943 CONTINUOUS BAR MILL Robert G. Le Tourneau, Peoria, 111., assignor to R. G. Le Tourneau, Inc., Stockton, Califl, a corporation Application July 11, 1942, Serial No. 450,557

14 Claims.

This invention relates in general to an improvement in rolling mills, and particularly to a continuous bar mill wherein is included a plurality of mill units, the rolls of which--from end to end of the mill line-are disposed alternately vertical and horizontal.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a continuous b-ar mill as above, which includes a plurality of mill units which are almost identical in construction and yet designed for placement in the mill line with the rolls in either a vertical or horizontal position, while maintaining a center line common to all the rollers.

A further object of the invention is to provide identical mill units, as in the preceding paragraph, which are not only capable of installation in alternate vertical-horizontal position with the rolls'on a common center line, but also are arranged to be driven from a common drive shaft when mounted in either position and without rearrangement of the drive mechanism of the units in any way.

An additional object is to provide a rolling mill which is compact in structure, relatively simple in design, and yet efiective for the purposes intended.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

Inthe drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one of the mill units mounted with the rolls horizontal; a similar unit with the rolls vertical being disposed beyond said one unit.

Figure 2 is an end view of one of the units mounted with the rolls vertical.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side view illustrating three of the identical mill units as mounted ina mill line; the center unit being vertical while the others are horizontal, all of the units being driven from a common drive shaft and having a common center line through the rolls and for a tie pin or rod.

Referring now more particularly to thecharacters of reference on the drawings, and at present to the horizontally disposed mill unit shown in Fig. 1, the numeral l indicates the rolls, a pair of which are included in the unit in spaced, parallel relation, and which include conventional and matching forming channels C.

At opposite ends, therolls I are formed with angle to the axis of shafts l5 and rolls I.

spindles 2 which are carried in journal boxes 3; the corresponding journal boxe at said opposite ends being held in separated relation, and consequently the rolls separated, by heavy duty compression springs l seated in sockets 5 in said boxes. The boxes 3 are suitably mounted for guiding movement in a frame structure, indicated generally at 6, and which, beyond the rolls and boxes, includes opposed blocks I overhanging the boxes. Adjustment heads 8 seat against the boxes at the end adjacent blocks 1, and have necks 9 threaded into said blocks; adjustment of said heads being made to properly space the rolls l and forming channels C.

Opposite end spindles of the rolls are extended, suitably journaled, and fitted with relatively large diameter drive gears l0 and H enclosed by housings l2 and I3 respectively, which form part of the frame structure. The gears I ii and ll are driven by pinions l4 fixed on a pair of shafts l5 journaled in the frame and extending parallel to each roll laterally of the same.

At the end adjacent gear II, the shafts 15 extend through journal 16 in a heavy wall I! forming one side of housing l3, and at a right Beyond wall I! the shafts l5 are fitted at the end with alined bevel gears l8.

A shaft 19 journalecl between end walls 20 and 2i of the frame structure, and at right angles to the shafts 15, carries bevel pinions l8awhich mesh in driving relation with bevel gears l8;

said shaft l9 extending in journaled relation through end wall 2| and terminating a short distance therebeyond. This end of'the shaft is fitted with a bevel gear 22 which faces away from wall 2|.

The frame structure beyond or outwardly of the above described gearing assembly includes outside plates 23 and2l disposed at right angles to each other from a corner 25; the plate 23 being parallel to shaft l9, while the plate 24 extends from said corner to form one side of a' chamber 26 about gear 22.

A horizontal drive shaft 21, which is of a length to extend the full length of the mill line proiects through chamber 26 of each unit at a right angle to shaft iii; a bevel drive gear 28 on shaft i plates 23 and 24, as is the effective center 30 of the rolls. This is the vital feature of the present structure for the reason that the mill unit, as described above, is capable of being arranged in multiple in a mill line, with the rolls alternately horizontal and vertical, and all units driving from a common drive shaft 21. The positioning of the mill units to accomplish such result is as follows:

The horizontal roll units, as in Fig. 1, are disposed with outside plate 24 on the floor F; the

ferently, as follows:

The vertical roll units are disposed with outside plate 23 resting on the floor (see Fig. 2) and with the frame structure rotated 180 relative to the position occupied thereby for horizontal roll use; i. e. when the frame structure is disposed to position. the rolls vertical, such frame structure is also reversed or turned around in a horizontal plane relative to the position occupied thereby when the ions are horizontal. This places the shaft I9 horizontal and in a plane beneath the rolls I, and projecting horizontally away from shaft 21 which passes through chamber 26 in the same relation as previously; i. c. with its axis on line 3|. Consequently, gear 22, which meshes with gear 28, is now disposed to one side of the latter, but the effective center 30 of the rolls remains on line 3|. Thus, when the several mill units of the line are each disposed in correct position lengthwise of the line and relative to shaft 21, the effective centers 30 of the rolls of all the units are in correct working alinementeven though the mill units are mounted with the rolls alternately vertical and horizontal.

To assist in maintaining the several units in such alinement, tie rods 32 connect between the upper corners of the frame structure of the units and opposite shaft 21; the axis of said rods being on line 3| so that the rods match for connection between units set with the rolls in alternating position.

The main advantageof a mill line incorporating mill units as herein described is, of course, the identity of structure of the units which reduces initial cost' of a mill line and simplifies installation, maintenance and repair, while at the same time providing horizontal and vertical roll assemblies in alternating order.

It will of course be understood that the work receiving grooves or channels C in the rolls are successively smaller, and that the speed of the different mill units must vary. Such change in speed is taken care of by varying the sizes of the successive bevel gearing units I 8 and Ma.

It will also be noted that the axes of mill roll gears l0 and II are substantially in horizontal (or vertical) alinement with the axes of their meshingpinions M. This allows of the necessary limited movement of the rolls toward or from each other, without materially affecting the proper meshing of the corresponding gears and pinions.

From the. foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A rolling mill unit comprising a frame, a pair of forming rolls journaled in connection with said frame, a drive shaft arranged in connection with the frame, and drive means between said shaft and the rolls; said frame being arranged to selectively support the unit on a mill floor with the rolls horizontal, or to support the unit with the rolls vertical and with said units reversed in a horizontal plane relative to the position occupied thereby when the rolls are horizontal, the shaft and said rolls being in positions relative to each other and to the frame such that the axis of the shaft and the effective center between the rolls lie in the same lines the floor when the unit is disposed with the rolls vertical; said axis of the shaft and said eiiective center line each being equidistant from said members.

3. A rolling mill unit comprising a frame, a pair of forming rolls journaled in .connection with said frame, a drive shaft arranged in connection with the frame, and drive means between said shaft and the rolls; said frame including a pair of exterior unit supporting members disposed at right angles to each other, one member being adapted to rest on the mill floor when the unit is disposed with the rolls horizontal, and the other member being adapted to rest on the mill floor when the unit is disposed with the rolls vertical, the shaft and said rolls being in positions relative to each other and to said members such that the axis of the shaft and the effective center between the rolls lie in the same lines when said one member rests on the floor, or when the other member rests on the floor and the unit is reversed in a horizontal plane.

4. A mill unit as in claim 3 in which the axis of said shaft is equidistant from said members, and the effective center line between the rolls is parallel to said shaft' and likewise equidistant from said members.

5. A rolling mill unit comprising a frame,, a pair of forming rolls journaled in connection with said frame, a drive shaft arranged in connection with the frame, and drive means between said shaft and the rolls; said frame being adapted to selectively rest with one side on a mill floor and the rolls horizontal, or with another side on the mill floor and the rolls vertical, said shaft and rolls being positioned so that the axis of the shaft and the effective center'between the rolls each lie in relatively the same lines when the rolls are horizontal, or when the rolls are vertical and the unit is reversed in a horizontal plane.

6. A mill unit as in claim 5 in which said sides are flat plates disposed at a right angle to each other; the shaft being parallel to said plates, and the axis of the shaft and the effective center between the rolls lying on a line which bisects said angle.

7. A rolling mill unit comprising a frame, parallel rolls journaled in connection with the frame and extending transversely'of said unit, a shaft mounted in connection with said unit and extending at a-right angle to said rolls but in a parallel plane, and drive means between the shaft and rolls; the axis of said shaft and the effective center between said rolls each being equidistant from adjacent sides of said frame.

8. A rolling mill unit comprising a frame adapted to selectively rest on one or the other of adjacent sides disposed at a right angle to each other, a pair of parallel rolls journaled inconuection with the frame and extending transversely thereof parallel to one of said sides, a horizontal shaft extending lengthwise of the unit at a right angle to the rolls, a bevel drive gear on said shaft, a driven gear meshing therewith, and drive connections between said driven gear and said rolls; said shaft being equidistant from rolls being likewise disposed.

9. A rolling mill unit comprising a frame adapted to selectively rest on one or the other of adjacent sides disposed at a right angle to ,each other, a pair of parallel rolls journaled in said sides, and the effective center betweenthe said other shaft, and bevel pinions on the latter meshing with said other bevel gears; said first named shaft being equidistant from said sides, and the efiective center between-the rolls being likewise disposed.

10. In a, rolling mill line, a common drive shaft extending from end to end of said line, and a plurality of mill units disposed on the mill floor in substantial alinement lengthwise of said line, each unit including a pair of rolls and the units being disposed with the rolls of adjacent units alternately horizontal and vertical, and drive connections between the rolls of each unit and said drive shaft; the mill units being of identical construction and arranged so that when disposed in predetermined alternate positions in said line, the drive connections remain in the same cooperative relation to the common drive shaft,

11. In a rolling mill line, a common drive shaft extending from end to end of said line, and a plurality of mill units disposed on the mill floor in substantial alinement lengthwise of said line, each unit including a pair of rolls and the units being disposed with the rolls of adjacent units alternately horizontal and vertical, and drive connections between the rolls of each unit and said drive shaft; the mill units being of identical construction and arranged so that when alternated 90 in a vertical plane and 180 in a horizontal plane in said line, the drive connections remain in the same cooperative relation to said common drive shaft.

12. In a rolling mill line, a common drive shaft extending from end to end of said line, and a plurality of mill units in said line, each unit including a pair of driven rolls, the effective centers of the rolls of the units being alined, and drive connections between said rolls and the drive shaft, the pairs of rolls of the units being .disposed alternately horizontal and vertical; said units being of identical construction and disposed in alternate positions, those units with the rolls horizontal resting on one side on the mill floor, and those units with the rolls vertical resting on an adjacent side on the mill floor and being reversed in a horizontal plane, the relative positions of the drive connections and the effective center of the rolls of each unit to each other and said sides being such that the drive connections cooperate with the drive shaft, and the effective centers of the rolls of the units aline, in either of said positions of the units.

13. A mill line as in claim 12 including alined tie elements secured to and connecting adjacent mill units; said elements being in a relative position to said sides of the units such that the elements aline in either position of said units.

14. A mill line as in claim 12 in which said adjacent sides of the units are disposed at a right angle to each other; the shaft being parallel to said sides and the axis of the shaft together with said effective centers. which are parallel thereto, being in a plane bisecting the angle between said sides.

RQBERT G. LE TOURNEAU. 

